45 



Insectivores are known from South America, and no member 

 of the group exists there at present. 



The Carnivora, or true flesh-eating animals, are an old type, 

 well represented in the Eocene, and, as might be expected, 

 these early forms are much less specialized than the living 

 species. In the Coryphodon beds, the genus Limnoci/on, 

 allied to the Pterodon of the European Eocene, is abundant. 

 Another genus, apparently distinct, is Proloiomus, and several 

 others have been named from fragmentary fossils. Tn the 

 middle Eocene, Carnivores were still more numei'ous, and many 

 genera have been discovered. One of these, Limnofelis^ was 

 nearly as large as a lion, and apparently allied to the cats, 

 although the typical Felidoe seem not yet to have been differen- 

 tiated. Another Carnivore of nearly equal vsize was Orocyon^ 

 which had short massive jaws aixl broad teeth. Dromocyon and 

 Mesonyx were large animals, allied to Hycenodon. The teeth 

 were narrow, and the jaws long and slender. Among the 

 smaller Carnivores were, Vidpavus^ Viverravus, /Siuojm, Thino- 

 cyon^ and Ziphacodon. 



In our Western Miocene, Carnivores are abundant, and 

 make an approach to modern types. The Felidce are well rep- 

 resented, the most interesting genus being Machatroduf^, which 

 is not uncommon in the Oreodon beds on both sides of the 

 Rocky Mountains. An allied genus is Dinictis^ and several 

 smaller Cats are known from about the same horizon. The 

 Canidce are represented by Amphicyon, a European genus, and 

 by several species of Canis, or a very nearly allied form. The 

 peculiar genus Hycenodon, found also in Europe, and the type of 

 a distinct family, is abundant in the Miocene east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, but has not yet been found on the Pacific Coast. 

 In the Pliocene of both regions, the Canidce are numerous, 

 and all apparently belong to the existing genus Canis. The 

 genus Machairodus is still the dominant form of the Cats, which 

 are abundant, and for the most part belong to the genus Felts. 

 The extinct Leptarctus is supposed to belong to the Ursida', 

 and if s(;, is the oldest American representative of this family. 



